


A Christmas Proposal

by ballerinaroy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25771597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballerinaroy/pseuds/ballerinaroy
Summary: After avoiding him for several years, Hermione sees Victor before returning to Hogwarts for the second term.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Viktor Krum
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	A Christmas Proposal

“You’ve alvays denied my requests to see you,” Victor pointed out. “Vot did I do to convince you this time?” 

They’d ducked into a cafe to get away from the bitter winds of their walk and were huddled together over a small table, Victor’s elbows encroaching on her space. Not that Hermione minded. 

“Would it be terrible to confess that you’d nothing to do with it?” Hermione asked him. 

“How do you mean?” he asked, eyebrow raised. “Have you ended things vith someone?” 

“I’ve never started anything with anyone, no,” Hermione answered. “I’m sure you’ve heard, but things are getting worse in my country.” 

She could feel the tone shifting and regretted that it had come up at all. Hermione had been dreading, ever since he’d met her that morning, really ever since she’d answered his letter letting her know that his trip was coinciding with her holiday, the time where their light-hearted banter turned into a discussion on the rapidly shifting politics of her country. 

Victor listened to her with a serious expression on his face, not saying a word as she spoke. 

“So,” she finished, letting out a long breath. “Voldemort has returned and all we can do is wait for him to make his next move.” 

As eager as she was for his response, she found it suddenly difficult to look at him and busied herself with her forgotten cup of tea. It was only when he reached for her hand that she looked up and found the most tender expression in his eyes. 

“Marry me, Herm-own-ninny.” 

Hermione blinked at him in shock. “What?” 

“If things are as bad as you say, and I don’t think you one to exaggerate, then you are no longer safe here-“ 

“I’m perfectly safe, Victor, I didn’t mean to make you worry.” 

“‘Ermione,” he said calmly, taking her other hand in his. “Think about the story you haff just told to me. The reason you haff not been to visit me is because you haff spent the last two years in hiding.” 

“I’m not in hiding,” Hermione protested, but didn’t pull her hands away. 

“Are you not?” he questioned patiently. “The summer after the Triwizard Tournament you could not see me because Dumbledore didn’t think it vould be safe for you to leave the country, or that Christmas vhen you had planned to go to France vith your parents. The next summer you couldn’t even go home because you vere recovering for a deadly curse. It’s only now, that you are of age that they let you be free vithout an escort.” 

She blinked at him. It sounded so much more serious coming from his mouth. 

“You may feel safe now, but you and I both know it’s only a matter of time until you are not,” he went on. “I’ve heard news of your war too, I just never realized how involved you vere.” 

“I’m not involved,” Hermione protested weakly. 

“But Harry Potter is, and you are involved with him.” 

She couldn’t argue with him, couldn’t deny how important Harry was to her. 

“I could give you a vay out. I could keep you safe. In my country talking ill of muggleborns is forbidden, those vho do are shamed, not the other vay around.” 

Hermione scoffed, “Karcaroff-“ 

“Karcaroff vos the exception,” Victor interrupted, “Not the rule.” 

Hermione blinked at him. 

“He vos a servant of Voldemort, vos he not?” Victor questioned. “He vos a powerful man, but an outlier on the prejudices of my countrymen.” 

“I’m only seventeen,” Hermione protested. 

“You are of age,” Victor pointed out. 

“I’m not even finished with school,” she went on. 

“You can finish your education in my country,” Victor said as if it wasn’t a thought. 

Hermione snorted. “Dumstrang wouldn’t take me.” 

“They vould,” he told her firmly. “If I asked. But it is beneath you. I vould hire personal tutors for you, ones vho vould push your brilliance.” 

For a moment it didn’t sound so ridiculous, so outrageous. Never once had Hermione considered running, but then again she had never had an out. But here was her out, a man she had no reason not to trust offering to shelter her, to keep her safe. Hermione knew what was coming; what it would mean for her when it did. 

“Tell me vot is keeping you here, Hermione.” 

“Harry and R-“ she paused, catching herself. “Harry needs me, Victor. He’s my friend.” 

Victor didn’t look fooled by her lapse but didn’t point it out.

“And vot use vill you be to him if you’re dead?” 

“They won’t kill me,” Hermione balked. “They’d just-“ 

“Capture you?” Victor provided. “And that vould be better? You’d be more use to him in my country.” 

Confronted with the truth all at once, even if it was the truth she herself had outlined, was painful. He tugged again at her hands for her attention. 

“Think about it, Herm-own-ninny.” He said in a tender voice. “I vill be there for you in votever vay you need me.” 

And though she knew there were more important things to consider, exams to study for and homework to be finished, Hermione found herself thinking of little else over the remainder of her holiday. She saw him twice more but didn’t speak of it again, not until the day before she was due back. She’d taken him to a musical and had delighted in watching his serious expression faded as he became enthralled in the plot. 

It was only as he walked her down the street to her childhood home, hand in hand, that he asked her the topic that hung unsaid between them. 

“Have you considered vot I asked?” 

Hermione nodded and said in a quiet voice, “I have.” 

“Well?” 

They’d stopped walking, taking shelter from the snow beneath an awning. 

“I don’t think you understand what you’re offering me.” 

“I am offering you a vay out,” he said firmly. 

“And these past few days have been lovely, I’ve really enjoyed our time together, but-“ 

“But vot Hermione?” he asked, searching her eyes. 

“But Hogwarts is my home, England is my home. I can’t just run away while it needs me.” 

He nodded, disappointed, but didn’t argue with her. 

“If you change your mind, Hermione.”

She nodded, unconsciously taking a step away from him but he tugged her closer and looked deeply into her eyes before kissing her. And they didn’t speak of it again.


End file.
